Author Archives
I run Political Charge to give people the knowledge and inspiration to take charge of their political activism. You can also follow me on Twitter at @dhstokyo.
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Did Your Congressperson Vote to Repeal the Healthcare Law?
Data from the special and legislative elections that have taken place in the past several months, coupled with a lot of polling, have made one thing very clear: Democratic candidates everywhere should be talking about healthcare. Voters care A LOT… Read More ›
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Is the Democratic Wave Going to Happen? It Depends.
Let’s be clear: I’m not in the projection business. That said, I think it is instructive to know what the election data folks and political analysts think is the range of possibilities for the 2018 Midterms. The U.S. Senate Here’s… Read More ›
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15 Ways to Help a Campaign Win Their Election
We are all eager to see a big, beautiful Blue Wave sweep over the country in November. It takes money, sure, but even more importantly, it takes people. Campaigns that win their elections are campaigns that have a lot of… Read More ›
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Political Fundraising Headlines are Totally Misleading
There are a lot of headlines out there about political fundraising, and none of them really give a clear picture of what’s going on. Fundraising is critically important to campaigns–maybe someday it won’t be, but for now it is–so let’s… Read More ›
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Governor Seats Democrats Need to Combat Gerrymandering
The governors who will get elected in 2018 will be in place when the once-a-decade process of redrawing congressional and legislative district lines takes place. Considering there are 36 governorships up for election this November, there’s a lot of progress… Read More ›
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Why Don’t People Turn Out for Elections?
Why do so many Americans not vote? According to the Pew Research Center, only 55.7% of the total voting-age population voted in 2016, putting the U.S. a dismal 28th out of 35 developed nations. So what gives? Why are so… Read More ›
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Texas, Gerrymandering, and the Supreme Court
This week, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments about Texas’ case about racial discrimination in how the congressional and state legislative districts were drawn in 2010. This case is one of several in front of the Supreme Court regarding redistricting,… Read More ›
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Primaries & Special Elections: May 2018
What a busy month! There are 13 special elections, 11 primaries and 1 runoff scheduled in May 2018. Use this information for your own civic engagement, or share to your network to spread the word and increase awareness and turnout!… Read More ›
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In the Age of Trump, Will Immigrant Voters Turn Out?
Immigrant communities have been under constant attack during the Trump Administration. With the midterm elections approaching, people are wondering if those voters will turn out and cast their ballots, or stay home. In McClatchy’s Trump Policies, Rhetoric Unlikely to Scare… Read More ›
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Midterms 2018: States with Primaries in May
Voters in 11 states have their opportunity to shape the midterms at their primary in May. Click a state name below to see a short at-a-glance look at the key facts and competitive/important races for the primary. May 8 (Tu)… Read More ›
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Arkansas 5/22 Primary: At a Glance
Arkansas has its statewide primary election on Tuesday, May 22. Here are some election facts and a few key races, with the names of the Democratic candidates and links to their campaign websites. Arkansas has an open primary. Voters need to be… Read More ›
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Voting Rights: Who Could Get Automatic Voter Registration Next?
This week New Jersey passed and signed their Automatic Voter Registration bill, making them the 11th state to do so. The first to do so was Oregon in 2015, and voting rights activists have been making a lot of headway… Read More ›
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Kentucky 5/22 Primary: At a Glance
Kentucky has its statewide primary election on Tuesday, May 22. Here are some election facts and a few key races, with the names of the Democratic candidates and links to their campaign websites. Kentucky has an closed primary. Voters need to be… Read More ›
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How to Phone Bank
Beyond voting, what else can you do to help get a candidate elected? After canvassing, phone banking for a candidate is one of the most effective ways to Get Out the Vote (GOTV) and increase turnout. This is something you… Read More ›
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Georgia 5/22 Primary: At a Glance
Georgia has its statewide primary election on Tuesday, May 22. Here are some election facts and a few key races, with the names of the Democratic candidates and links to their campaign websites. Georgia has an open primary. Voters need to be… Read More ›
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Are There Any Safe GOP Seats in 2018?
There is a lot of time between now and the November 2018 midterm elections. That said, I read an interesting article that is making me wonder what a safe seat looks like, at least in Congress, in 2018. In Politico’s… Read More ›
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Why Isn’t the GOP Talking about the Tax Law?
I find it rather odd that today, on Tax Day of all days, the Republicans aren’t talking about their landmark, and let’s face it, only major legislation they’ve passed since controlling the entire federal government. After all, they’ve said time… Read More ›
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Idaho 5/15 Primary: At a Glance
Idaho has its statewide primary election on Tuesday, May 15. Here are some election facts and a few key races, with the names of the Democratic candidates and links to their campaign websites. Idaho has a partially closed primary. Democrats allow voters… Read More ›
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Updated: Who’s Retiring From Congress?
There are quite a number of Senators and Representatives who are either not running for re-election or running for a different position (noted with an asterisk). Here are the retiring members of Congress (in state alphabetical order) followed by how… Read More ›
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Oregon 5/15 Primary: At a Glance
Oregon has its statewide primary election on Tuesday, May 15. Here are some election facts and a few key races, with the names of the Democratic candidates and links to their campaign websites. Oregon has a closed primary. Voters must be… Read More ›